Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Finding all of the Heirs

Finding all the Heirs by Jeannette Holland Austin....Why all of the heirs are not always listed in ills...Everyone gets really frustrated with some of these last wills and testaments because they do not always list all of the heirs. This is because portions were given earlier and the place to look for that is in the deed records. They are called Deeds of Gift and the language usually reads “ For Love and Affection....” or it could read for $1. It is understandable that one who has lived to an old age might parcel off his property, such as slaves and land, many years before his actual death. All that is left at time is to give the wife the homeplace for her lifetime, then to a son or daughter. Another reason why all children are not named is the children either died prematurely or moved off into another state and not kept in touch. The latter tends to so often be the situation because as the old family seat breaks up, the children disperse into other areas looking for better land. They obtain land grants and draw in lotteries so this is how we chase them down. The daughters' portions went to their husbands, so any names in the will or estate papers are suspect. I usually cross-check these names in marriage records. Georgia County Records

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About Me

After having researched multiple families from much has been learned about the pivotal roles which each o them played in building America. Everyone's ancestor whether in the history books or not, helped to build this country. I have probably traced over 100,000 names and am so familiar with the early colonists that I can just about open a discussion about any ancestor in the Southeast regions. If done properly, a tedious research will unfold the daily lives of each subject. I suppose that I am a fanatic now, however, an awareness of the experiences of your and my ancestors makes the history of America precious. I could sit down and talk (just about any) colonial ancestor with you. Hence, the desire to share my information with you. My researches are all heavily documented and I have discovered the intricate details which others cannot find. Jeannette Holland Austin www.georgiapioneers.com